Defining a project scope is important for any major project, and construction projects are no different. Because of the multifaceted nature of construction projects, it’s easy to run into problems if you, your client, and your team don’t have a clear picture of everything that is expected out of a project.

This article covers everything you need to know about defining a construction project scope, including what it is, why it’s essential to project management, and some steps you can take to clearly define a project scope, so that your projects and your construction business can be successful.

What is a Project Scope?

A general project scope describes everything a project will and will not include. It gives everyone an overview of the goals, objectives, and necessary resources of a project and how those goals will be accomplished. 

A project scope can include things like project timeline, milestones, stages, team, and any other information that will give your construction team a clear and concise understanding and direction of the project.

Importance of Defining a Project Scope

Defining a project scope for your construction projects is essential for many reasons, and if you consistently skip the vital step of creating a scope of work for your construction projects, you risk creating unhappy clients, over-budget projects, unclear goals and expectations among team members, possible legal trouble, unsatisfied stakeholders, and ultimately a failing construction business.

Here are some of the main reasons project scopes are important for contractors:

• Preventing litigation that can happen when clients and contractors disagree on the terms of a project
• Defining clear expectations and goals for clients, stakeholders, and your team
• Setting boundaries to prevent scope creep which happens when more and more tasks that were not initially agreed upon get added to a project
• Establishing responsibilities for your construction team members so that everyone has a general idea of what is expected of them
• Setting up your project for overall success before you start to execute your project

Essential Elements of a Construction Project Scope

Because every project differs in timeline, amount of work, and nature, it’s normal for the project scope to look a little different for each project. However, there are some essential elements that almost every scope of work should include:

• Project Goals & Objectives

  You should use clear language to define exactly what the project is going to accomplish so that there is no room for interpretation or disagreements that can lead to a host of other legal and financial problems.

  For example, you could define a residential home construction project as follows: “The residential home construction project involves the design, planning, and construction of a single-family dwelling located at [insert address]. The project aims to deliver a high-quality, modern home that meets all local building codes and regulations.”

• Project Phases & Subphases

  You should aim to create at least a general overview of project phases and subphases, so that your team knows what to expect as far as the project timeline and requirements.

  This can include phases like pre-construction, site preparation, foundation and structure, framework and enclosure, interior construction, finished and fixtures, finalization and exterior works, and project closeout, and a summary of each phase's respective subphases.

• Resources & Key Roles

  You should include a list of your project’s required resources and key roles so that you have a reference point for what is needed to execute the project. Knowing this information upfront allows you and your subcontractors to plan accordingly for things like finances and timeline.

  This includes required labor & materials, tools & equipment, space & facilities, finances, human resources like architects or engineers, and anything else required of your specific project.

• Estimated Budget

  It’s important to make sure stakeholders, clients, and subcontractors know the project budget right from the beginning of the project execution; otherwise, you set your project up to go over budget before it even begins.

  This doesn’t have to include a detailed breakdown of project costs just yet (although that would be even better), but generally you want to include an estimated cost of the project. For more efficient estimating in the pre-planning stage, you can use a tool like ConstructionOnline’s Estimating templates, which allows you to create reusable and customizable estimates using templates that can be used for multiple, similar projects.

• Milestones & General Timeline

  It’s good to include a general timeline of the project and critical milestones that need to be met in a certain order. This ensures you and your team know how the project needs to progress in order to finish on time.

  Some examples of important milestones include design approval, securing permissions, finishing the structural foundation, etc.

Key Tips for Defining a Construction Project Scope

Here are some key steps you can take as a contractor to outline a project scope that everyone on board will understand:

• Understand the Nature of the Project

  As a contractor, it’s important that you understand the nature of the project for which you are creating a project scope so that you know what’s most important to include in the scope. This includes knowing a general timeline, what all materials and labor are required for a project, what resources you will need, etc.

• Use Clear, Concise Language

  When you’re defining something as important as a project scope, make sure you use clear and concise language that isn’t overly technical so that everyone on board - including your client - can understand things. It’s also important to verbally communicate the project scope with your team and your client so that if any questions come up about goals and objectives, you can address those immediately before the hard work begins. Save the minute details for the project execution.

• Put It in Writing

  It’s helpful for everyone included in the project to have a written project scope that can be easily accessed throughout the life cycle of the project in case questions or disagreements arise. One option is to create a shared online document that no one can edit except for you, or, if you use project management software to manage your construction projects, you can add it there.

Those are some of our essential tips and tricks for defining project scopes that will set your construction projects up for success. 

If you’re looking for a project management software that can help you with the planning and execution of your construction projects including defining clear project scopes, schedule your free demo of ConstructionOnline, the simple and intuitive software for construction professionals worldwide.